 Of the 13,111 visitors to this week's London Bookfair, a good proportion of the Brits were fascinated by the future of Waterstone's, which has recently caused consternation in the trade by attempting to up the discounts it receives from publishers, slash its monthly book-buying budgets and increase its revenue from window displays. But now it seems that Waterstone's might be ripe for a sell-off by the HMV Media Group, with an announcement expected shortly.

 Beryl Bainbridge, who has only just recovered from her "down with regional accents" disgrace, has been in the news this week for spoofing an entire festival audience on the subject of Rhoda F Cornstock's literary masterpiece, As Flies to Wanton Boys. Yet the real culprit, she revealed, was her fellow panellist Paul Bailey.

Bailey himself has had more than his fair share of being hoaxed, however. In 1996, after he published a less than favourable review of a Steven Berkoff production in the Times Literary Supplement, he received a threatening letter purporting to be from the man himself. "Me and some pals are going to find out where you live," it opened, and went on to promise all sorts of ghastly retribution. "I've seen you poncing about at Daily Telegraph parties with all your posh friends talking bollocks about so-called literature... you're dead meat, mate." At which point, a thoroughly unnerved Bailey had recourse to the Metropolitan police, and a shame-faced pal - whose identity must remain concealed - was forced to come clean. Berkoff's reaction is unrecorded for posterity.

 A delightful letter reaches us from the New Millennium publishing house, recommending a new memoir by a chap called Guy Hunting, one-time pal of Jeremy Thorpe, Noël Coward, an Archbishop of Canterbury's chaplain and an Eastenders star. So far so good, but we are somewhat mystified that the author affectionately refers to the book - actually entitled The Platter of Tiny Fruit (groan) - as "The Leaf-Girt Vagina".

Even more puzzling is this extract from the publisher's letter: "As it has been described as 'camp' by the Evening Standard, we are aware that it should not be of interest to your readers. However, it is worth pointing out that the Jeremy Thorpe/ Noël Coward chapters were well received by Auberon Waugh and Sheridan Morley." What? Any punters up to braving "camp" should apply within, and we will pass your letters on.